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UNIT
HISTORY
The 11th Panzer Division
was formed after the fall of France, from the 11th Motorized
Brigade, plus the 15th Panzer Regiment taken from the 5th Panzer
Division, both of which faought with distinction in France in
1940.
The 11th Panzer first saw
action as a unit in April 1941 in the Balkan Campaign.
During Operation Barbarossa, the 11th Panzer fought with Army
Group South, helping to take Kiev. It was then transferred
to Army Group Center for the assault on Moscow. In 1942, the 11th Panzer
drove towards Stalingrad, and was used later by von Manstein in
the relief attempt of the German troops trapped in Stalingrad.
Then, without rest, the 11th Panzer was instrumental in stopping
the Sovietdrive on Rostov in February 1943, helping save Army
Group A from being cut off in the Caucasus. The 11th Panzer fought at
Kursk in July 1943, and was trapped in the Cherkassy (Korsun)
Pocket in February 1944.
The division was sent to
the south of France to rebuild after escaping severely depleted
from the Cherkassy Pocket. In June it absorbed the 273.
Reserve-Panzer-Division. In France, the 11th Panzer engaged the
French resistance as it rebuilt. The "gespensterdivision"
was moved north
In
July 1944 to help stem the Allied advance across France. The 11th Panzer was with
the 7th Army at the Battle of the Bulge, serving as the mobile
reserve force.
The 11th Panzer fought against the bridgehead at
Remagen, seeking to drive the Americans from this important Rhine
crossing. It was moved south and thus escaped being trapped
in the Ruhr Pocket, and surrendered to the U.S. 3rd Army on May 4,
1945.
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